505
by Lance Corporal Chanyeol
Summary: Levi finds himself going back to 505 and back to Eren.
1. 505

A/N: Based off that Arctic Monkeys song, 505

* * *

Levi doesn't know if it's just his imagination or if he's seeing someone else, but sitting a few chairs down from his is a familiar head of brown. It's only when the other man turns that Levi realizes that it _is_ Eren. There's a heavy feeling in his stomach that he tries to push away, eyes meeting with seas of green.

A flash of shock passes the brunet's face and then it's gone, his lips pulling up into a small grin. "Hey, didn't expect to see you here." As he says this, he stands up and slowly makes his way to Levi, sitting down on the stool directly beside him.

Levi thinks that maybe he should have picked another bar, maybe could have tried that new one downtown. He thinks he should have checked around the place before sitting down and ordering a drink.

"Giving me the cold shoulder?" Eren asks and, although there's a playful hint in tone, Levi can't help but think that Eren seems slightly melancholic. "It's been so long since we last saw each other."

"Just a year or something," Levi tells him, pretending to nurse his drink when in reality, all he does is touch the liquid with his lip. He hears Eren chuckle and murmur something under his breath before calling for the bartender, ordering his own drink.

"So, what brings you around here?" he asks, the same playful tone still in his voice. Levi finds the way he drums his fingers on the counter distracting, but he doesn't voice it out, opting to shrug.

"I guess what I really mean is _what got you to come back_?" Eren offers, peering at him.

The heavy feeling is back and it doesn't quite go away even when the bartender brings Eren's drink to him. It doesn't go away even when Levi breaks eye contact with Eren.

"I needed to do something," he lies. "It's not like it's that surprising for me to be here."

"For you, maybe, but for the people you left behind? Can't say the same."

Eren's smile makes Levi feels like shit so he shuts his mouth, letting silence settle between them.

Eren, who seems to have another idea, speaks up again. "Oh, come on. Talk to me, Levi. For old times' sake?"

"I am talking to you," Levi retorts. He finally takes a gulp from his drink, the bitter liquid sliding down his throat in a hot burn. "You still say the silliest shit ever."

"And you still have a thing for shit," Eren shots back, his smile seeming to be more genuine.

"Old habits die hard." Levi tries for a nonchalant approach this time but realizes belatedly that his statement bore more meaning that what could be understood from the surface.

"So you're going to disappear again." It's not a question, but Levi finds himself trying to come up with an answer. He almost feels thankful for the distraction when someone calls Eren.

"Coming," the brunet calls back. He sends Levi a smile and then he's standing up, moving away.

And then Levi's hand is leaving his side and reaching for Eren, grabbing him by the wrist and stopping him. "Wait."

He immediately regrets doing it when Eren turns to face him and when their eyes meet, Eren's eyebrows raised in question. He regrets it because now he has to explain himself, because now they're going to end up opening more wounds. His hand starts to loosen its hold around Eren's wrist but the look he receives is enough to make him hold on.

"I could ditch them," Eren says, his voice low. "We could hang out in my place instead. Fool around a bit."

Levi tries to ignore how hard his heart is thumping in his chest, making his blood flow go crazy and his head slightly dizzy. He knows for a fact that he should say "no", both for his sake and Eren's (especially Eren's), but he can't force the single word pass his lips.

"For old times' sake?" he asks, glad to hear his voice doesn't give away the inner turmoil he's in.

The smile Eren gives him is enough to make him forget about breaking that very smile a year ago, and then he's being lead out of the club, back to 505.

* * *

"You know, I never changed the locks," Eren says as he drags Levi to his room, giggling when he almost hit the door frame. "Was hoping you still kept that key I gave you."

_Was hoping you'd come back_ is what Levi hears and he forces himself to believe that it's just wishful thinking on his part. He's pushed and he lands on the bed, Eren quickly crawling on top of him and straddling him.

"I'm glad you came back," the brunet tells him, leaning down and cradling Levi's face between his hands. "I missed you."

"How many clubs have you been in tonight?" Levi asks before Eren could further distract him. He ignores the way Eren pouts at him.

"Just a couple," the younger finally admits, hands going slack and sliding down to rest on Levi's shoulders. "Does it matter?"

"It does. You're drunk. Maybe we shouldn't do this." He starts to get up, trying to get Eren to move away, but then he finds himself pinned down on the bed by his wrists being held down by Eren.

"We should and we will. I know what I'm doing." Eren's voice doesn't slur and he looks serious, gazing down at Levi with his lips set in a tight line.

Those lips disappear from view when they meet Levi's in short and quick pecks which later turn into a mess of teeth and tongue. Eren releases Levi's wrist and the latter brings his hand up to thread his fingers through brown locks, trying to pull him in closer.

_I missed you_ is what he wants to say, but he doesn't. He drowns the words in the kiss, drowning himself in Eren. _I'm sorry_.

Eren pulls back first, momentarily running his eyes over Levi appearance before moving away, rummaging through his drawer until he retrieves a bottle of lube and a packet of condoms. Levi finally gets enough strength to gently push him away, only to reverse their positions.

His hands work on their clothes, pulling his shirt over his head and doing the same for Eren before diving down for another kiss. The wet sounds that their mouths make jeers him to palm the brunet through his pants, making Eren arch off the bed into Levi's hand.

He breaks the kiss and places his lips on Eren's ear. "Needy. Always so needy."

He's sure he hears a strained chuckle leave Eren which is cut short by a groan when he squeezes the swollen length through the clothing material. His own erection presses painfully against his pants, begging for release which he denies.

"Stop being a tease," Eren says, slightly breathless, with his cheeks flushed a deep red. "Hurry up."

Levi complies, pulling off Eren's pants and boxers, freeing his dick. He gives it a few experimental pumps before placing a kiss on the head, taking away the bead of cum that oozed out.

"Fuck," Eren whispers, reaching down and tugging on Levi's hair, urging the raven to slowly take the cock in his mouth. The length goes in deeper and Levi swallows around the head, making Eren hiss. He licks a line on the underside, all the way to the head, and then takes it in again before releasing it with a _pop_ of his mouth.

Levi tugs on the buckles of his belt, impatiently removing his pants and underwear off. He pumps his own length a few times before grabbing the lube and squirting a generous amount on his fingers. He wastes no time preparing Eren, finger fucking the male. When he deems Eren stretched enough, he pulls out the appendages and rolls on a condom and lathers his dick with lube, positioning it to Eren's entrance and kissing his thigh before inching in.

He doesn't move for a while, letting Eren breathe for a couple of seconds before tentatively pulling back and slamming in. A surprised yelp leaves Eren that continues off to a long moan as Levi picks his hips and thrusts repeatedly.

"Don't –_oh god_– stop," the last part is said in a whimper. "Levi, harder, _fuck_. I want it harder please."

Levi's thrusts turn erratic, pounding mercilessly into Eren. The younger male comes all over his stomach and Levi follows, riding out his orgasm inside Eren. He pulls out and removes the condom, tying it up and throwing it into the trash can. He collapses beside Eren, staring up at the ceiling.

They're both breathing heavily, both struggling to come down from the orgasm-induced high. Levi closes his eyes, hoping that sleep would take him away soon. When it doesn't, he turns his head to the side and looks at Eren and freezes at the sight.

Eren is looking back at him, tears sliding down his cheek and a fresh batch brimming in his eyes. For a moment, a different version of Eren's face flashes in his eyes; a vision of Eren crying on that day that Levi left this town and broke his heart. He scoots closer to Levi, throwing an arm around the other man's chest and sobbing into the older man's shoulder.

"I missed you."

Levi closes his eyes once more, feeling himself crumble.

"I'm sorry."

Levi kisses the brunet's temple.

"I'm so sorry, Eren."

* * *

Morning comes too soon, the first rays of the sun filtering through the blinds of apartment room number 505. Levi lets a few moments pass with him just lying there, with Eren still wrapped around him. Memories of last night along with a headache invade his head and he groans as quietly as he can, fearing that he would wake up the brunet. He gently pries the long arms away, getting off the bed and searching for his clothes.

He feels disgusted, having to wear his clothes from last night, but endures it enough to even make breakfast for Eren when he wakes up. All the while, he looks around the apartment, trying to commit it once again to memory. When he's done with breakfast, he re-enters the room and finds Eren still sleeping.

It takes a while for Levi to finally move and kiss the sleeping man on the forehead, telling him the same words from last night, albeit just in a soundless whisper. His chest aches at the sight of Eren smiling in his sleep and he almost, _almost_ stays.

When he leaves the apartment, the ring in his pocket feels heavy and hot, as if it could burn through the fabric and scorch his skin. He takes it out slips it on his finger, hoping that the golden band would really make him forget Eren Jaeger this time around and keep him away from coming back to 505.


	2. Do I Wanna Know?

Eren knows that it shouldn't be all that surprising to wake up alone in his bed, but it still makes him cry. A fuck load, actually. He cries a fuck load when he wakes up and feels the empty side of the bed where Levi was, where Levi should be, because he was hoping he would stay.

It also hurts a fuck load when he walks into the kitchen and sees that breakfast had been made. The food's just lying there, no note whatsoever from the man who made it. Nothing.

Eren almost doesn't eat it.

He pulls out a chair and slumps down, pulling the plate to him. While he chews on the toast, he pulls out his phone and scrolls through his contacts, easily locating the newest one he saved while the owner was sleeping.

_Levi. _

He almost laughs. The only thing that stops him is the memory of seeing a woman's name on Levi's screen, indicating that she had called him more than five times already last night. Eren brings a hand up to rub at his eyes to wipe at the fresh batch of tears that comes with the memory of reading some of her texts. He doesn't care that he's smearing crumbs and oil on his face, he already feels so fucking dirty.

He bits his lips and screws his eyes shut, squeezing out more tears. He remembers how he almost hauled the ring across the room when he took it out with shaking fingers. In all honesty, he doesn't know what stopped him from throwing it away.

Perhaps it was the guilt from finding out that he slept with a married man.

* * *

"Jesus, Eren. What happened to your eyes?"

"Have you been crying?"

Eren brushes his friends off with a wave of his hands. "I need a drag," he says, earning a glare from Mikasa. "For fuck's sake, I'm 24."

"It's not about your fucking age, Eren," Mikasa snaps back. "It's about your fucking problem, because you wouldn't be asking for a drag if you didn't have one, nor would you be sauntering over here with swollen and red eyes like you just had the highest time of your life."

Armin remains silently during Mikasa's outburst while Eren just sits there looking annoyed. He rubs a hand over his face and brings both hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, okay. Christ."

Mikasa exhales through her nose, breathing visibly heavy. She shakes her head and adjusts the scarf around her neck. "I'm sorry, too. Can you just tell us what happened? You suddenly left last night and now you come here looking all… _broken._"

Eren winces. He still doesn't have a drag and now he either has to explain his situation or lie about it. He doesn't really get much time to choose because the next thing that spills out from Armin's mouth decides for him.

"I saw Levi last night, Eren. I saw you talking to him, and I also saw you leaving with him."

Mikasa whips her head so fast to look at Armin then back to Eren, the latter almost laughs. "_What?_ Eren, oh my god, no. You can't do this to yourself again." The look of disbelief on her face stops him from laughing, but the pain she's showing makes him feel worse. "We were there to pick up the pieces when he broke you, please don't make us go through that again."

There's that feeling again, _guilt._ He knows that it's not her intention to make him feel like shit, but it still happens. He still curls into himself, clutching nothing in his hand that he brings to his chest, right over his heart.

He doesn't want to make them feel like shit, but it still happens. Armin wraps an arm around his shoulders and he hears Mikasa stand up from her seat, and then she's sitting next to him and copying Armin. She's whispering soothing stuff to him as he tries to calm himself down.

It's not working.

"I still love him," he chokes out, biting his lip to contain a sob from spilling.

He feels Mikasa shake her head. "No, Eren… he's—," she begins to say.

"Married, I know," Eren finishes for her. _I know, I saw the damn ring. I know._

"Eren… I don't understand," Mikasa admits, her voice bordering apologetic, as if she's sorry that she can't understand how her brother could still love a person like Levi, a married person. A person who broke his heart and left him like that.

_No, you really don't._ "I still love him," Eren repeats. "It's still him."

* * *

Eren cries, they bring him coffee and tissues but never a cigarette, and he's glad for that. He's glad that he has friends and family that won't let him do crazy shit that he would later regret.

So why did Armin let him walk away that night?

He throws the last piece of used tissue into the trash bin and excuses himself to go to the bathroom. He stands there and just stares at his reflection for some time, before there's knocking on the door and a worried Mikasa asking him if he's okay. Eren sighs, opening the door and giving her a small smile.

"I'm going home," he says, grimacing at how his voice cracks. "Thanks for having me."

She looks like she's about to protest but Eren walks past her, passing Armin and thanking him, too. He leaves the place without further resistance from the both of them and he feels thankful. When he comes home, he fishes his phone out and once again stares at Levi's contact number.

That night, Eren almost calls him. The only thing that stops him is the sudden blaring noise coming from the thing he's holding in his hands. He's getting a call from Jean, and he doesn't feel like answering.

It connects to voice mail and he hears Jean's voice telling him something about work that he just couldn't give a shit about right now. Apparently, the horseface heard from Mikasa that Eren wasn't in the best of state, so Jean dropped a small "Get well soon, idiot, don't worry the gang too much," before hanging up.

Eren wanders off to his bedroom, collapsing on the bed. He turns on the radio and lets random songs play in the air. The first song makes him laugh, the absurdity of the lyrics almost disgusting. The second one makes him feel like dancing. The third one almost makes him turn the radio off. The fourth one calms him down, almost lulls him to sleep.

He realizes that it reminds him of Levi, and he decides that he likes the song.

That night, he dreams of Levi, and he hopes it isn't the last.

* * *

The following week is spent with him listening to the song until he falls asleep, and then waking up remembering that he dreamed about Levi. It happens every night with no fail.

When he goes back to work, Jean lightly slaps his head with the papers in his hand. "About time this princess decided to come back."

"Fuck off, Jean. It's only been two days," Eren retorts, adjusting the tie around his neck. He gives the guy a knowing smile, letting him know that there was no animosity whatsoever.

"Three if you count the one when I called you and your royal self never bothered to call back. Whatever, man, just get your ass back to your office, a mountain's piling up there."

"Don't tell me what to do, horseface." Eren starts to walk away when Jean calls him back. "What?"

"Maria's on Saturday? You know, it's Annie's birthday, in case you forgot."

Shit, he totally did. "Yeah, sure," Eren agrees, before he can be any more of a shit friend by remembering what happened last time they went drinking there. He didn't want to bail out on them just because of his fuck ups. He heads to his small office and starts on the work that piled up during the time he was gone.

When he comes home, it's to repeat the cycle of eating, showering, staring at Levi's contact, and then listening to the song. This particular time, he finds himself unable to fall asleep, even after the fourth loop. He picks his phone up and opens Levi's contact information, his finger hovering over the CALL sign. He turns the music down low and takes a steadying breath.

That night, Eren calls him.

He bites his lip, the ringing sound making his insides churn a bit. The first ring makes him jump a bit. The second one makes his heart beat faster. The third one rings in time with him tapping a hand to his chest. The fourth one is cut off short, making his blood freeze.

Levi's voice makes the cold thaw away. "_Hello?_"

Eren thinks that this sound is even better than the tune he found.

"_Hello?_" Levi repeats, already starting to sound impatient.

He hears someone click his tongue so Eren rushes to speak. "It's me."

The line is silent. For a moment, Eren thinks that Levi might have hung up on him before Eren had the chance to speak up, or he simply didn't hear.

"_Where did you get my number?_"

Eren smiles. "How'd you know who it is?"

Again, Levi goes silent. When he speaks up, the words make the smile on Eren's lips widen, like it could split his face into two. "_I'd recognize that voice anywhere_."

And just like that, the moment is broken when Eren hears someone in the background, asking Levi who he's talking to. He lies, saying that it's someone from work. Eren starts to feel cold again and he wants to throw the phone away and hide in his bed, under the covers, away from the cold.

"_Hey, let's talk again tomorrow, I'm sure the planning can go smoothly then. Good night, Jaeger._"

The line goes dead, Eren still feels cold, and the song is probably on its sixth loop now. He crawls under his sheets, clutching the phone in his hand and forcing his eyes close.

It doesn't work. After a while, he texts Levi.

**"Okay, let's talk again tomorrow. I'll call you." Message sent: 11: 47 PM**

He waits. He goes through the short conversation in his head and he tries to omit the sound of Levi's wife talking to him, calling him _honey_.

He waits. He realizes that he's crawling back to Levi, and he's scared that he probably always will.

He waits. He wonders if the other man's heart is still open for him.

He waits. He dreads knowing what Levi's answer would be although Eren hasn't even asked the question yet. He dreads finding out that the feeling didn't flow both ways.

It's probably on the eleventh loop, and Eren's still cold, when the phone's screen lights up.

**"We will. Go to sleep. Good night, Eren." Message received: 12:07 AM**

He feels warm again.

**"I'm too busy being yours to fall for somebody new." Message not sent, saved to drafts.**


	3. Love is a Laserquest

Someone presses a kiss to his cheek, waking him up. He shifts around, turns to look at the person sitting on the edge of the bed. She smiles at him, leans down and pecks him on the lips.

"Good morning, Levi," she breathes the words against his lips, looking into his eyes.

Levi remembers how Eren never got to say that to him the last time they met. He brings a hand up and threads his fingers through auburn hair. "Good morning."

She moves back, Levi's fingers sliding off her hair, chuckling at him. "Breakfast is ready, or would you rather take a bath first?"

Eren wouldn't have to ask that. Eren would know. "Bath first, thanks." He throws back the covers and get off the bed, kissing her on the forehead before heading to the bathroom. He immediately sets to work, getting into the shower and blasting cold water to wake himself up before turning it up into a warmer temperature.

He looks at the ring on his finger, a simple gold band with _L & P_ engraved on the inside, hidden from the rest of the world. He grabs the bottle of shampoo and pours a generous amount on his palm, shoving his hands into his hair.

It's been five years since he left Eren.

Some of the bubbles from his hair get into his eyes, making them burn. He ignores it and lathers soap all over his body, making sure he got every part. When he's satisfied, he steps back into the streaming water and rinses off all the soap and residue. The burning in his eyes is still there, even when he's patting his body with a towel, wrapping it around his waist.

He's been married for a year.

He stares into the mirror hanging on the wall by the sink as he brushes his teeth, observing the dark bags under his eyes. Maybe he should have eaten breakfast first.

When he gets back into their room, his wife's not there. He slips off the towel and gets dressed, a white dress shirt under a grey vest, matching grey pants. He looks through his supply of neckties, trying to pick one that would look best on his attire.

Petra re-enters their bedroom and walks over to him. She looks through the drawer then pulls out a simple, striped necktie. She grins in approvals and ties it around Levi's neck, the tightness perfect against his throat.

Eren wouldn't know anything about suits or ties.

"Thank you," he tells her, holding her hand.

"Coffee?" she asks, smiling up at him. She leads him out the room and into the kitchen, the table already set with food and a steaming mug of coffee. She sits in front of him and they talk a bit while Levi sips on his coffee, taking small bites of the food. She leaves and comes back down with his coat in her arms, letting him slip his arms into it and fixing his tie one last time.

"Have fun at work," she says, dusting off imaginary lint from his shoulders.

"There's nothing fun about work," he says in a low voice, tilting her face by the chin and planting a soft, slow kiss on her lips. "See you later."

With his bag in hand, Levi leaves the house, welcoming the cold wind that constantly slaps his face as he walks to his car. He drives off without glancing back to the house, where he would surely see Petra standing by the door.

When he gets to the firm, a cheerful greeting from his secretary isn't the first thing he hears, but Hanji's voice coming from inside his office. He raises an eyebrow and Eld merely shrugs at him, as if Levi should know why the eccentric doctor is in his room.

He gets inside and not only Hanji is there, of course, but also his boss. "What the fuck are you two doing in here?'

"Levi, hi!" Hanji is still wearing her lab coat, sitting on his table with a cup in her hands. She swings her legs back and forth and Levi feels a vein pop somewhere on his forehead.

"Get off the table, Hanji," he says, voice calm. Erwin, sitting on one of the chairs in front of the desk, laughs. "Now."

Hanji sighs and gets down, placing the cup on Levi's table so she could cross her arms on her chest. "I came here to check up on you two, because you never visit me even though I'm just in the next city, practically neighbors."

"It's just been a few months since we moved here, Hanji," Erwin reasons, still smiling.

"It's been four since you finished this firm and two since Levi moved houses, but you guys never dropped by the hospital or invited me out for drinks, assholes."

"We haven't gone out for drinks, glasses." That's a lie. Levi has gone out for drinks, in the very city where Hanji lives, just a couple of days ago. "Erwin's too busy running the place and interviewing possible employees."

"And Levi's too busy helping me out, you know the drill. We're sorry we neglected you," Erwin says, smiling up at Hanji who clicks her tongue at him.

"That's why I'm here, because your majesties are too busy, so I took it upon myself to ask you guys out to go drinking! Saturday night, how does that sound?"

Levi rolls his eyes. He finally moves from his place by the door and deposits his bag on the desk. He's about to say something when his phone goes off in his pocket. He pulls his phone out and stares at the caller ID displayed on the screen. The two don't pay him much attention except for Hanji who looks at him a bit longer than he thinks she should.

He shouldn't answer it. He could ignore it and use some bullshit excuse like not having his phone on him or being in a meeting when he called. He could let it ring until the caller gets tired, or he could just shut off his phone.

It's still ringing, and he just saw Erwin give him a funny look.

"Excuse me," he finally says, phone in hand. He leaves the room and doesn't answer until he's out of the building, hoping that it would be enough time for Eren to decide to drop the call.

"Hello," he says into the receiver, stuffing a hand into his pocket.

He hears Eren let out a gush of air, as if he was relieved, and Levi almost does the same. _"Took you long enough."_

"I'm at work," Levi tells him, looking around the street. Cars are passing by, an old lady gave him a pleasant smile from across the street, and his nose is probably already turning red from the chilly air.

_"I see… well, when do you get out?" _

Levi pauses. "Around 8, why?"

_"I also get out from work around that time. Let's meet up, Levi."_

No, they don't have a reason to meet up. Levi should say no. He should end this, whatever this is, with Eren, right then and there. It's been five years since he left; he's been married for one, he's been dating Petra for two. _No_, he should say_. No, Eren, I won't meet up with you later. I won't ever meet up with you again._

"Yeah, okay."

_"Okay, outside the old bookstore, 5th street, you still know that one, right? The one where we found the copy of Red Thorns."_

"Yeah, I got it."

_"Okay. I'll be waiting, Levi." _

Levi hangs up first, his hand slightly shaking. He thinks it's from the cold, so he stuffs them into his pockets, blowing out air and watching it form clouds of white from his mouth.

He hears the door open from behind him and turns to see Hanji, stopping in her steps to light up a cigarette. She continues walking and stops to stand by his side, wordlessly offers him a stick which he takes, and then she lights it up for him.

She takes her stick and holds it between thin fingers, looking up at the sky. "You know, Levi, I think love is amazing."

Levi exhales a long stream of smoke, thinking that it looks better than the cloud of white from earlier. "What are you talking about? Are you in love?"

"Moblit's okay. Maybe we're almost there, you know, almost in love." She makes a shrugging gesture with her hands, taking a drag before speaking again. "But what I mean is that love is amazing, as in it's free. It should be free. You're allowed to love anyone, because it's free."

Levi doesn't say anything. Somehow, the conversation is making him feel nervous.

"But it's also cruel, you know. 'Cause I think you can only love one person in that romantic light, so it's all or nothing, now or never. So, I think… when you fall in love, no matter what people say or what bullshit happens to your life, just go for it." As she says this, she gives Levi a meaningful look, and that's when he figures out that she knows.

"Just go for it," she repeats. "Love is cruel, love is free, love is amazing."

She sticks her arm out and a taxi stops in front of them. She drops the cigarette and crushes it with her foot, opening the door of the cab and stepping. Levi envies her, it must be warm inside. Suddenly, the windows roll down and she's leaning out, looking up at him. "See you on Saturday night. I already got Erwin to agree while you were out."

And then she smiles at him. It's not the kind of smile that she usually gives, the smile-because-she's-Hanji smile, no. It's the kind of smile that makes Levi's heart clench. It's the kind of smile that says be free, be happy, I'm here for you, because that what she told him back then, before he married Petra.

Be free, be happy. Hanji must be crazy. The cab has long since sped off, leaving Levi alone. "Love is a joke."

* * *

8 PM rolls around and Levi is walking to his car, phone in hand. He's sitting inside his car when he finally decides that he should text Petra and tell her that he might come home late.

**"Going to see an old friend from Maria, I might come home late. Go to sleep and don't wait up too long." Message sent: 8:13 PM**

He waits for her reply, and it doesn't take long. **"Okay, have fun! Bring back something to eat, I'm up for movies tonight. I love you." Message received: 8:16 PM**

**"Okay. Me too."** Message sent: 8:16 PM

He leaves the phone on the passenger seat and drives off to his hometown, city lights coloring the main streets. He tries not to think much, because thinking never helps when it comes to this. Thinking is useless when it comes to Eren. Everything's useless when it comes to him.

It takes him 45 minutes and a great deal of patience to arrive at their assigned meeting place, according to the time on his phone. He slips off the seatbelt and gets out of the car, and Eren's already there, waiting for him. His hair is messy, and his cheeks are flushed, probably from the cold. The teen—no, wait, that's wrong. He's not a teen anymore, is he? How long has Levi been gone? Five years. How old is Eren now? 24. He's sure of it.

The suit he's wearing is enough proof that he's an adult now, but Levi still can't believe it.

"What do you do?" is the first thing he says, not trying to hide how he's looking at Eren's attire. The suit looks good on him, after all. Did he pick it out himself? Probably, yes. He lives alone. There's no one to pick out his clothes for him.

Eren knows about suits now, and what neckties match which. He's an adult now. He's 24 years old now.

"Accounting. I'm an accountant now."

He's an accountant, he says. He does accounting. He's a professional now. He's wearing a suit, even. He's not the lanky teen that Levi used to take care of, not the teen he broke up with 5 years ago, not the teen that was on his head the day he got married, not the teen that got his heart broken by Levi.

But that's a lie, isn't it? Because, no matter how you look at him, Eren still looks broken.

"You're a lawyer, right, Levi? You did become one, right?"

"Yeah," he answers. "I am."

Eren nods. "It's cold here, let's go somewhere warmer," he tells him, already starting to walk away. Levi follows, walking a step behind him but not going too far. Eren slows down and then they're walking side by side, both in their pressed suits, and Levi thinks that they look fine.

They look really fine, he thinks. To an outsider, they look like your typical businessmen, colleagues. They definitely don't look like they were past lovers.

Maybe Levi could pretend that they were _just_ past lovers. _Maybe he could pretend that Eren was just some lover._

Eren takes him to a coffee shop not too far away from the bookstore, but Levi had parked his car there, where he shouldn't have. He would probably get a ticket for that. They sit down, order coffee, and stare at each other.

"Where do you live now? I'm surprised you got here so quickly, considering the traffic."

"I don't want to tell you," Levi says. Their orders arrive and Eren thanks the girl before turning his attention back to Levi.

"Why not?"

And then Levi realizes that Eren's doing it again, using that teasing tone with that playful smile.

"Scared I'll come visit you? Stalk you?"

Levi looks down at his coffee, raising an eyebrow at the image of a cat carefully drawn on the foam. "I am. I'm also scared that you'll come crying for food, or come by drunk."

Eren looks startled for a moment, and then he snorts. "Yeah, that does sound like something I'll do."

"Clearly don't want you terrorizing my neighborhood."

"No, we don't want that."

Levi thinks that this is okay. What they're doing is okay. Meeting up in a place like this, drinking coffee, talking like old friends, that's okay. Maybe they could be just that, _friends._

"Levi, I still love you."

Somehow, that doesn't surprise the older male. He glances up at Eren, the brunet looking back at him with a soft smile on his lips, and it looks sad. He looks so sad.

"Eren, I'm married. I've been married for a year now." He takes the ring between his fingers and slips it off, handing it to brunet. He doesn't know why he does, why he isn't scared that Eren might throw it away, but he merely picks it up. He's twirls it around his fingers, observing it.

Then he suddenly reaches for Levi's hand and, instead of just giving it back, he slips it on Levi's finger again, saying, "I know."

* * *

Like what he expected, there's a ticket on his windshield which he plucks up, hiding it inside his pocket. He gets inside the car and just sits there, running a hand through his hair.

Eren knows he's married.

He starts the engine, getting on the road to head home. His dashboard tells him that it's just half past nine, meaning Petra would still be awake when he gets home.

Eren still wants to meet up with him.

The road's traffic has improved and it only takes him about twenty minutes before he's passing the sign that says **WELCOME TO ROSE, ENJOY YOUR STAY**. He stops by a convenience store and gets a tub of ice cream and some snacks.

Eren still loves him.

When he gets home, Petra greets him with a warm hug, kissing him as a thank you for the food. She leads him into their bedroom where she had already set the TV for movie watching. He's about to change clothes when he remembers his phone. Levi excuses himself and tells her to start the movie.

He gets his phone from his car and, before he can stop himself, sends a message to Eren.

**"I live in Rose now." Message sent: 9:52 PM**


End file.
